A case series of Mycobacterium kansasii pulmonary infection in a tertiary care private hospital

Abstract

Background: Mycobacterium kansasii is being increasingly recognized as an important pathogen mimicking clinically Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). We describe here a series of cases due to M. kansasii lung disease from a tertiary care private hospital from South India. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with M. kansasii pulmonary infection at a tertiary care referral center between January 2017 and April 2019 was conducted. Positive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures were included in the study. Results: Seven patients with majority having underlying predisposing conditions presented with respiratory symptoms and radiological features resembling pulmonary tuberculosis. Smear acid fast bacillus (AFB) positivity was seen in 3 out of 7 cases. M. kansasii was isolated from bronchial culture in all of them with negative GeneXpert MTB reports. Five patients showed clinical improvement after starting treatment, while two were lost to follow up. Conclusion: M. kansasii should be suspected in AFB smear positive but GeneXpert MTB negative patients. Getting AFB cultures done is crucial in such patients to make an appropriate etiological diagnosis.

Keywords

• culture
• kansasii
• pulmonary